Lecture Handouts-6

Terrestrial biomes include deserts, grasslands, and forests.
Factor affecting biomes: climate, primarily due to long-term temperature and precipitation.
Global air circulation plays a critical role in climate.

Wind is an indirect solar energy factor affecting climate.
Winds circulate heat, moisture, nutrients, soil particles, and pollutants around the Earth.
Winds from deserts carry nutrients (e.g., phosphates and iron) impacting agricultural soils.
Wind can reduce hurricane activity by blocking sunlight.
Wind also transports harmful substances, including soil and pesticides from regions like Africa.
Important concept: Everything in the biosphere is interconnected.

Climate is determined by:
- Solar radiation
- Earth's rotation and movement
- Atmospheric gases
- Earth's surface features.
Climate influences biome types and locations.

Uneven heating leads to tropical, temperate, and cold deserts, grasslands, and forests.
Weather refers to short-term atmospheric conditions, while climate refers to long-term patterns.

Ocean and land heat absorption differences create breezes and affect local climates.
Mountains create rain shadow effects, influencing local moisture levels and leading to deserts.
Urban areas create microclimates often characterized by higher temperatures and pollution.

Defined by low annual precipitation.
Temperature variations lead to extreme conditions between day and night.
Types of deserts:
- Tropical Deserts: Hot year-round (e.g., Sahara).
- Temperate Deserts: Moderate temperatures with seasonal changes (e.g., Mojave).
- Cold Deserts: Cold winters, warm summers (e.g., Gobi).
Flora and fauna in deserts are highly specialized for low moisture.

Found in interiors of continents, intermediate between deserts and forests.
Types:
- Tropical Grasslands (Savanna): Scattered trees, seasonal drought.
- Temperate Grasslands: Cold winters; fertile soils; adapted to fire.
- Cold Grasslands (Tundra): Bitterly cold, ice-covered, with limited vegetation.

Dominated by trees with types based on temperature and precipitation:
- Tropical Rainforests: High biodiversity, warm, high rainfall year-round.
- Temperate Deciduous Forests: Significant seasonal temperature variations.
- Cold Forests (Taiga/Boreal): Needleleaf trees, cold winters.

Cover a significant portion of Earth's land surface.
Ecological importance:
- Regions with high biodiversity.
- Affect local climates and provide water storage.
- Glacier melting contributes to rising sea levels.

Approx. 62% of terrestrial ecosystems are degraded.
Human activities threaten ecological services provided by lands.
Need for conservation vs. resource exploitation is a vital issue.
Biodiversity is crucial for health and ecological balance, providing essential services.